Final Burial appreciation

[Chiral]

Jungle Boy and Christian Cage capped off their long feud that started pretty much as Christian debuted in AEW tonight in probably the best buried alive match I've seen. While buried alive is one of my favorite stipulations, it's generally a pretty bad match that doesn't matter until they get to the gravesite, but this was like actually an amazing match all the way through, with tons of callbacks to the angle so far building up to the brutal finish, where that coffin FLOPPED. The whole thing felt like it was really about Jungle Boy leveling up, and him finally hitting the conchairto felt like that moment.

I hope we get more buried alive matches cuz I love this dumb stipulation, and putting it in the hands of really talented people shows that it can be a great feud capper.

(you know I had to make this thread lmao)

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

Christian came back and put on an absolute banger and put Jungle Boy over

I hope Christian continues to do that because his run has been so good and I wanna see more

["Cane Dewey" Johnson]

Best match of the show.

[Koda, Master Crunchyroller]

This set the theme of the night of them nailing stipulations that not exactly had smooth records of being handled well. Casket matches honestly more times than not suck ass, there are good ones, but they are rare. And this was amazing.

[chazraps]

Spectacular. Absolutely awesome.

[This Player Hating Mothman]

The psychology and pacing of the match did so much for it. The way that even going into that area was something Christian wanted to avoid until he felt like he had the advantage was such a great storytelling bit. You could feel all the emotions in the story, and the match's back and forth was perfectly set to let both of them convey those emotions. The minute to minute work just had more intensity to it because it felt like they were out to hurt one another, not just to butter each other up to win a match.

Also, turtleneck.

[Bang Bang Bart]

The casket immediately falling below after it got closed was a weirdly cheesy, yet appropriate way to end the match.

[clifford]

Awesome match.

[Mozenrath]

Mar 6, 2023 1:23:52 GMT -5 Koda, Master Crunchyroller said:

This set the theme of the night of them nailing stipulations that not exactly had smooth records of being handled well. Casket matches honestly more times than not suck ass, there are good ones, but they are rare. And this was amazing.

I liked Darby's coffin matches he's had, whatever they called it, but yeah, there are historically way more examples of these matches being awkward than there are successes. Lucha Underground's equivalents were also good, but they obviously had the benefit of being able to work cinematic stuff into it, like Muertes punching his hand through the lid to grab Matanza, or the absolute demolishing he gave Fenix in theirs.

This was definitely what Jungle Boy needed. Getting to show some mean streak to strike back after everything Christian has subjected him to is a maturation for the character without him necessarily losing himself in the process.

[Billie Gein]

This was my favourite match of the night, I think it had the perfect balance of excitement, intensity and goofiness. I hope they bring back the stip at some point in the future because I'm down for more wild brawls that end with a coffin shooting into the ground at warp speed.

[ppl591]

I just hope christian finds another target. At first I wasn't crazy about super edgelord Christian, mostly because I prefer him as a face. But give me more of the veteran cartoon villian Christian all day

[4real]

Great match and a perfect end to the rivalry. And 10/10 for Christian’s outfit.

[markymark]

Mar 6, 2023 3:38:11 GMT -5 ppl591 said:

I just hope christian finds another target. At first I wasn't crazy about super edgelord Christian, mostly because I prefer him as a face. But give me more of the veteran cartoon villian Christian all day

Should be Ricky imo

[Deleted]

The match was fine enough for what it is but I can say the unnecessary way they dropped the casket at the end sent me into a full blown fit of laughter. Even Jungle Boy looked shook

[Deleted]

Mar 6, 2023 3:38:11 GMT -5 ppl591 said:

I just hope christian finds another target. At first I wasn't crazy about super edgelord Christian, mostly because I prefer him as a face. But give me more of the veteran cartoon villian Christian all day

Yes I agree...Christian recently saying he's trying to milk this industry like an ATM was one of the best lines in recent times...Honest asshole Christian is too funny

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

I'm sure Jungle Boy played a part in putting it together but it's easy to see why so many in the business say Christian is one of the best workers after last night. He's so good at putting matches together.

[Bo Rida]

Mar 6, 2023 3:38:11 GMT -5 ppl591 said:

I just hope christian finds another target. At first I wasn't crazy about super edgelord Christian, mostly because I prefer him as a face. But give me more of the veteran cartoon villian Christian all day

If CM Punk was still around he'd kidnap Larry.

[Dub H]

Mar 6, 2023 2:28:04 GMT -5 This Player Hating Mothman said:

The psychology and pacing of the match did so much for it. The way that even going into that area was something Christian wanted to avoid until he felt like he had the advantage was such a great storytelling bit. You could feel all the emotions in the story, and the match's back and forth was perfectly set to let both of them convey those emotions. The minute to minute work just had more intensity to it because it felt like they were out to hurt one another, not just to butter each other up to win a match.

Also, turtleneck.

It had a lot of small storytelling sprinkled

You had the main storyline of Jungle Boy not wanting to do the con-chair to(which goes WAY back of Christian saying JB didnt have that killing edge).

But you also had moments like that by the end the match had basically devolved to both man trying to choke the life out of each other and just basically devolving into animalistic instinct.

It was honestly pretty good, I know it will likely be underlooked due to the more visually and lenghty matches of MJF vs Bryan and Texas Death match but it was just as good. I would put it above the Main Event at least

[krozor]

Mar 6, 2023 9:32:29 GMT -5 markymark said:

Mar 6, 2023 3:38:11 GMT -5 ppl591 said:

I just hope christian finds another target. At first I wasn't crazy about super edgelord Christian, mostly because I prefer him as a face. But give me more of the veteran cartoon villian Christian all day

Should be Ricky imo

I was thinking Hook. Christian trying to follow up the Jungle Boy feud by inserting himself as a role model/father figure for Hook (to get him to get revenge on Jungle Boy for him) with Taz on commentary looking on in horror as Christian lures Hook in with cool turtlenecks and suit jackets with hoodies sewn into them. Christian as a veteran who is just too good technically and way too good at cheating to be the one to break Hook's streak and force him to level up would be good.

I'd be fine with Ricky, too - Starks is one of a handful of guys who might be able to keep up with elite heel scumbag god Christian on the mic. Weirdly, Christian/Hobbs would also work fine for me. I don't know, let him feud with all of the Team Taz guys, he'd be great against all of them.

[06vwgti]

Mar 6, 2023 12:43:45 GMT -5 krozor said:

Mar 6, 2023 9:32:29 GMT -5 markymark said:

Should be Ricky imo

I was thinking Hook. Christian trying to follow up the Jungle Boy feud by inserting himself as a role model/father figure for Hook (to get him to get revenge on Jungle Boy for him) with Taz on commentary looking on in horror as Christian lures Hook in with cool turtlenecks and suit jackets with hoodies sewn into them. Christian as a veteran who is just too good technically and way too good at cheating to be the one to break Hook's streak and force him to level up would be good.

I'd be fine with Ricky, too - Starks is one of a handful of guys who might be able to keep up with elite heel scumbag god Christian on the mic. Weirdly, Christian/Hobbs would also work fine for me. I don't know, let him feud with all of the Team Taz guys, he'd be great against all of them.

I think they were going that way initially before it was quietly dropped during Christian's debut in 2020. Taz still seems to occasionally reference it at times on commentary..